Tone-enriching device for musical instruments



April 8 1924. 1,489,710

A. G. OLSEN TONE ENRICHING DEVICE FOR MUSICALINSTRUMENTS Filed June 27, 1922 E i l r I v v -v 7 2a 4 f H t 1 fm/n/or' I intensifying of the Patented Apr. 8, 1924.

UNITED STATES ANTON GUSTAV OLSEN, OF DRAMMEN, NORWAY.

TONE-ENRICHING DEVICE FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Application filed June 27, 1922. Serial No. 571,304.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANTON GUSTAV OLSEN, citizen of Norway, residing at Dronningens Gate 11, Drammen, Norway, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tone-Enriching Devices for Musical In struments, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement for improving the power and the richness or ring of tone in musical instruments, and the invention is mainly characterized by a stringed body or board, which is located adjacent to the sound giving elements of the instrument and is tuned up in such a way, that the strings on the body, when the sound giving elements of the instrument are operated, will sound together with the sound giving elements of the instrument and thereby increase the power and the richness or ring of the tone. Such a body may be placed upon or built up in many forms of instruments and has been found to be especially useful in stringed instruments and in or gans.

A constructional form for the invention applied to a guitar is shown as an example in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 shows the body in plan.

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the body placed in a guitar.

1 denotes the body, which serves for the power of tone and the ring of the instrument. 2 are the strings stretched upon the body and 3 are the tuning screws. 4 are sound posts, which effect the connection between the inserted body and the front 5 of the guitar. The strings of the latter are denoted by the reference 6. 7 are angular blocks or distance pieces fitted tightly between the ends of the body and the internal end walls of the itar for holding the body in position.

e removable body is preferably inserted and removed through the rear side of the instrument, which for this purpose is formed with screws, hinges or the like. To secure the position of the body in the instrument, the internal blocks or ribs 7 or the like may be arranged in the latter. The form, size and location of such supporting means 7 may vary to suit the form and size of the instrument, in which the body is to be placed.

The inserted body is, in the present case, equipped with 12 strings. These are tuned after the chromatic scale. The string having the lowest pitch is tuned one octave higher than the lowest pitched string on the instrument proper. When now the strings of the instrument are played upon, the strings on the inserted body will sound with the strings on the instrument and thereby increase the power and the richness of tone of the instrument to a consider able extent.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:

A device for improving the power and richness of tone in musical instruments consisting of a flat board, means for removably supporting the board inside of the instrument proper with its front face approximately parallel to the face of the sound board of the instrument, means on the front face of the inserted board for carrying a plurality of strings to sound together with such sound giving elements and thereby increase the power and richness or ring of the tone.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ANTON GUSTAV OLSEN.

Witnesses Axar. LAHN, HANS HALL. 

